Screw anchor with attached spacing sleeve



May 10, 1960 G. M. RAPATA 2,936,015

SCREW ANCHOR WITH ATTACHED SPACING SLEEVE Filed March 19, 1957 Jim V workpieces.

SCREW ANCHOR WITH ATTACHED SPACING SLEEVE George M. Rapata, Park Ridge, Ill., assignor to Illinois Tool Works, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application March 19, 1957, Serial No. 647,101

3 Claims. (Cl. 15141.75)

United States Patent or the like adapted to be applied to an apertured work structure.

Many work structures include a pair of apertured workpieces which are to be retained in spaced apart relationship, and it will be appreciated that the spacing of such workpieces in different structures may vary widely. The present invention contemplates the provision of a screw grommet or the like adapted to be applied to one apertured workpiece and having means for positively spacing a second workpiece from the workpiece. It will be appreciated that the spacing means portion of the screw grommet device must be changed in axial length for each desired spacing between the It is an important object of the present invention to provide a novel screw grommet device or the like which is adapted to be assembled through an aperture in one workpiece and positively to space a second workpiece from the one workpiece and which is constructedso that it may be easily and relatively economically formed to satisfy different spacing requirements of various work structures.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a novel screw grommet or anchor member device or the like having a first portion which may be as sembled through a workpiece aperture and a second workpiece spacer portion of simple" construction which may be readily molded or otherwise formed in different lengths and applied to the first portion so that the device may be readily adapted for satisfying different workpiece spacing requirements of various work structures.

Still another more specific object of the present invention is to provide a novel device of the type set forth in the preceding paragraphs, which device is constructed so as to reduce the amount of stock material required therefor while providing rugged means for positively spacing a pair of workpieces.

. Other objects and advantages of the present inventio will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: F

Patented May 10, 1960 ber 10 incorporating the features of the present invention is shown in Figs. l-3 and comprises a first member 12 adapted to be applied to an apertured workpiece or panel 14 and a second or spacer member 16 for positively locating a second apertured workpiece or panel 18 a predetermined distance from the workpiece 14 as shown in Fig. 1. A screw member 20 having an elongated threaded shank 22 is inserted through the apertured workpiece 18 and into the member 12 for retaining the workpieces in assembled relationship. The member 12 which is preferably molded from a suitable plastic material such, for example, as nylon, is provided with a head portion 24 having a generally radiallyextending face engageable with one side of the workpiece 14, and a shank portion having a pair of elements 30 and 28. The shank elements respectively include diverging surfaces 32 and 34 which provide shoulder means engageable behind the panel or workpiece 14 so as to secure the member 12 to the workpiece. Entering end portions of the shank elements 28 and 30 have tapering or converging surfaces 36 and 38 respectively and the shank elements are separated by a slot 40 so that when the member 12 is applied to the apertured workpieces the shank elements are cammed inwardly to permit the shoulder surfaces 32 and 34 to be snapped behind the workpiece. Preferably, the shank elements or prongs combine to provide a generally rectangular outline and are cooperable with rectangularly disposed edges of the workpiece aperture so as to prevent the member 12 from turning with respect to the workpiece. I A central bore 42 extends axially through the head and shank portions of the member 12 for accommodating the screw shank 22. Preferably the wall of the bore 42 is smooth or unthreaded so that when the screw member is applied, complementary screw threads will be impressedin the wall of the bore 42 and the shank elements or prongs 28 and 30 will be expanded for firmly urging the shoulder surfaces 32 and 34 against the workpiece.

The spacer member 16 which is also preferably molded from a suit-able plastic material has a hollow tubular section 44 which is adapted to be telescopically associated with the head portion of the member 12. 'In-this em-.

engageable with a complementary end surface of the Fig. l isa partial longitudinal sectional view taken along line 11 in Fig. 2 and showing a work structure including fastening means incorporating the features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevational view from the right hand end of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing a device embodying features of the present invention;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary exploded sectional view showing a modified form of the present invention;

Fig. 5 is an exploded longitudinal sectional view show- I ing another modified form of the present invention;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing a further modified form of the present invention;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary exploded sectional view showing another modified form of the present invention; and

cylindrical section 44 for positively axially locating the members with respect to each other. An outer free end peripheral edge of the head portion 24 is beveled as indicated at 50 for facilitating telescopic association of the members 12 and 16. It will also be seen that the head portion 24 is provided with a conical enlargement 52 of the central bore .for facilitating starting of the screw shank into the bore.

As shown best in Fig. 1, the wall of the tubular section 44 is relatively thin for effecting savings in the amount of stock material required for the spacer member. The spacer member is provided with an inwardly directed annular flange 54 at its outer end, which flange is integral with the outer end of the cylindrical section 44. The flange 54 has aninternal diameter similar to Surface to prevent dimpling or collapsing of the material surrounding the aperture in the panel 18.

It will be readily appreciated that the die required for molding the member 12 will be considerably more complicated and expensive than the die required for molding the spacer member 16. It will further be appreciated that the member 12 may be readily applied to various apertured workpieces without regard to the distance which a second workpiece is to be spaced from the first workpiece. Thus, a plurality of the members 12 made from the same relatively complicated and expensive mold may be utilized in work assemblies presenting different workpiece spacing requirements. These ditferent spacing requirements may be satisfied by assembling with each of the members 12 spacing members 16 formed from different relatively simple and economical molds having different axial lengths. It will be appreciated that this eliminates the need for providing a different relatively complicated and expensive mold suitable for forming means similar to the member 12 for each workpiece spacing requirementfor various work structures.

Fig. 4 shows a modified form of the present invention which is similar to the above described structure as indicated by the application of identical reference numerals with the suffix a added to corresponding elements. An important difference in this embodiment is that an annular groove 56 is formed in the surface 46a of the member 12a and a complementary annular rib 58 is provided at the inner end of the member 16a. When the parts are telescopcd together, the annular rib is adapted to be snapped into the groove 56 so as to provide a positive interlock for restraining axial separation of the parts.

Fig. 5 shows another modified form of the present invention wherein elements similar to those described above are designated by the same reference numerals with the suffix b added. In this embodiment the groove 56b is provided in the spacer member 16b and the annular rib 58b is provided on the member 12b. The head portion of the member 12b is further modified so that the cylindrical surface 46b is on the flange portion 2412. In this embodiment the rib 58b restrains not only axial separation of the parts but also serves in place of the above mentioned abutment surface 48 to limit positively the telescoped association of the parts. This embodiment further shows how the axial length of the spacing member may be made relatively short, if desired.

In Fig. 6 there is shown a further embodiment of the present invention wherein elements corresponding to those described above are designated by the same reference numerals with the suflix 0 added. In this embodiment, the head portion of the member 120 is provided with a relatively short enlarged cylindrical section which is adapted to telescope around rather than within the spacer member 160. Thus, the cylindrical surface 46c of the member 120 is an internal rather than an external surface, and in this embodiment the surface 46c telescopes over the member 16c with a force fit so as to retain the parts in assembled relationship.

Fig; 7 shows another embodiment of the present invention which combines features shown in Figs. 4 and .6. More specifically, in this embodiment the spacer member telescopes within the cylindrical section of the head portion, and an annular groove 56d is provided in the internal surface 460. for accommodating the annular rib 58d projecting radially outwardly from the end of the spacer member 16d.

Fig. 8 shows another embodiment of the present in- 4 vention generally designated by the numeral 10e, whic embodiment combines features of the Figs. 5 and 6 structures. Thus, this embodiment contemplates the provision of the groove 56e on the spacer member 162 which is adapted to telescope within the cylindrical section of the member 12a, which cylindrical section has an internal radially projecting bead 58c cooperable with the groove.

While the preferred embodiments of the present inven tion have been shown and described herein, it is obvious that many structural details may be changed without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. A workpiece spacing fastener device of the type described and comprising a one piece molded plastic anchor member adapted to be applied through the aperture in a first apertured workpiece, and a one piece molded plastic sleeve member in force fit assembly with the anchor member for spacing a second apertured workpiece from the first workpiece when said members are assembled with the workpieces, said anchor member including a laterally expandable shank portion insertable through the aperture in the first workpiece from one side thereof and having laterally projecting shoulder means resiliently collapsible to enable the shoulder means to be snapped through the aperture in the first workpiece and to engage behind the first workpiece, and said anchor member further including a head portion engageable with the said one side of the first workpiece and having a generally axially extending substantially cylindrical surface provided with an abutment surface, said sleeve member including a relatively thin wall hollow section with a surface com plementary to and telescopically associated with the said cylindrical surface and disposed against said abutment surface to limit telescopic association of the said members, said anchor member having an axial bore therethrough to enable a screw element or the like to be inserted therethrough and into engagement therewith, and the end of said sleeve member remote from said anchor member being directed inwardly to a diameter similar to the diameter of an inserted screw shank for maintaining the same in alignment with the bore through the-anchor member.

2. A workpiece spacing fastener device as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of said members includes groove means in the surface thereof and the other of said members includes protuberance means projecting from the sur face thereof and into said groove means for restraining the said members against axial separation.

3. A workpiece spacing fastener device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sleeve member is radially spaced outwardly substantially throughout the extent thereof from said bore, and wherein the outer free end of said sleeve member is provided with an integral radially inwardly extending annular flange approaching the diameter of said bore for restraining collapsing of the said outer free end and for generally centering a screw element or the like with respect to the bore in said anchor member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 980,355 Spencer Jan. 3, 19.11 1,907,120 Rishel May 2, 1933 2,353,248 Lamb July ll, 1944 2,542,144 Kearns Feb. 20, 1951 2,545,514 Erb Mar. 20, .1951 2,675,732 Angst Apr. 20,1954 

